Trust Marketing founders transition 32-year-old firm to their children: Awarded Marketing Executive Ryan Robertson and Education Veteran Adrienne Robertson King
Memphis, TN, Sept. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trust Marketing & Communications began in 1991 after Howard and Beverly Robertson conceived the idea of a new relationship marketing firm specializing in reaching African Americans, on a walk along a beach. Based in Memphis, TN, Trust Marketing is now the lucrative parent company of two additional companies: The Spotset Radio Network and the Play Ode mobile app. Trust CEO/Founder Howard Robertson and COO/Founder Beverly Robertson proudly announce the appointments of son Ryan Robertson as Trust Marketing Corporate President and daughter Adrienne Robertson King as Trust Marketing Corporate Vice President.
Howard and Beverly Robertson built Trust Marketing on the solid foundation of two impressive corporate careers in Memphis where they were both born. At Holiday Inns Worldwide, Beverly went from working as a reservations agent, ultimately rising to Vice President of Communications. She became President of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis for 18+ years, helping to bring it global prominence. Then in 2017, she became President & CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce as the first and only woman and Black person to ever lead the organization in over 180 years. Howard began his career in 1973 as a publicist for the legendary Stax Records working with R&B/Soul music legends. After Stax he traveled across America and Canada as a broadcast consultant for a prominent computer company, then as Local and Regional Sales Manager at WLOK Radio and WPTY-TV24, Memphis’ original FOX affiliate, before founding Trust Marketing.
Their careers flourished in Memphis during times nationwide when Black talent in their industries was neither prevalent nor preferred. Trust Marketing is built on over a century of their combined marketing, communications, and public/media/community relations experience. In 2018, for the first time ever, the American Advertising Federation awarded their highest Silver Medal Awards for lifetime achievement individually to this married couple.
“We’ve always exposed and taught our children to recognize, respect, and replicate Black excellence,” stated Howard Robertson. “Now they have the next generation responsibility of perpetuating Black excellence as Black entrepreneurs,” he continued. “We are so proud that all three have had amazingly successful careers and are choosing to bring their experience and expertise back to us at Trust,” added Beverly Robertson.
Adrienne Robertson King first went to work at Trust at age 12. But her dream was to become a teacher. She was an NCAA Div. 1 champion tennis player at Southern University (Baton Rouge, LA) where she received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and later a master’s degree from Cumberland University (TN). She had a fulfilling 20-year career as a master teacher in the Memphis Shelby County Schools, teaching first and second grades. Adrienne joins as the Trust Corporate Vice President helping manage all aspects of the businesses and the sweeping range of services provided to a diverse clientele ranging from nonprofits like the Greater St. Louis Urban League (the nation’s largest) to the world’s largest advertiser, Procter & Gamble.
Ryan Robertson, her youngest brother, has stellar marketing credentials, most recently as the SVP of Marketing for Group Black. “I am incredibly excited and blessed to become President of the family business that my parents started when I was only 9 years old,” expressed Robertson. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and MBA from Xavier University of Ohio. He was recognized in Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 and as one of P&G’s Alumni Network Leaders Under 40. His career highlights include Global Head of Marketing for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, driving its international expansion and the uber successful global campaign with Megan Thee Stallion; Brand Director of Cîroc Ultra-Premium Vodka, managing the partnership with Sean “Puffy” Combs, and heading Multicultural Marketing for spirits giant Diageo, plus driving growth for other billion-dollar brands including: Vitaminwater (Coca-Cola), LG Electronics, TRESemme (Unilever), and Metamucil (P&G).
“During my first week at Trust, we finalized a national radio campaign with General Motors for the Cadillac brand called Hip Hop Heritage,” Ryan states. “The Trust team concepted, wrote, and produced spots with MC Lyte as the voiceover talent, with distribution to 85 Black and independently owned Spotset network radio stations. As kids we sang and listened to MC Lyte on the radio while riding in my father’s Cadillac, so that’s totally full circle for me.”
The middle sibling, Howard “Trey” Robertson, III is currently a copyright executive at the Library of Congress in Washington DC. He is also an actor with over three dozen national ad campaigns and TV series to his credit. Trey secured the clearances and rights for the company’s new Play Ode mobile app and was copywriter on audio spots for the Cadillac-sponsored Hip Hop Heritage campaign.
“I’m grateful that the company my parents built over three decades is still relevant and strong,” expressed Trey Robertson. “With my siblings now leading the charge, I am confident there will be continued success in the years to come.”
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About Trust Marketing
Trust Marketing & Communications, established in 1991 and based in Memphis, is one of the largest, oldest, continuously operating, Black-owned marketing agencies in the South. It is a relationship marketing firm practicing all major marketing disciplines that specializes in reaching and affecting Black audiences. The name Trust reflects Trust Marketing’s three most important relationships: the relationship with God, the relationship with each other, and the relationship with their clients. Learn more at www.trustmkt.com.
About Spotset Radio Network
Established in 1996, Spotset Radio Network is a 2nd generation unwired radio network, helping to ensure that ad dollars flow to Black-owned broadcast radio. The Spotset Network is a unique aggregation of 100+ radio stations across America and boasts the largest number of Black-owned and Black-formatted radio stations available to advertisers. Spotset represents stations in large, medium, and small markets all across the country across varying formats. Learn more at www.spotsetradio.com.
About Play Ode
Play Ode is the premiere Black-owned radio-streaming app/platform that amplifies and celebrates Black culture. Play Ode features top radio stations across the country, popular podcasts, and 24/7 Black news and information that connects listeners to their communities and amplifies diverse voices, lifestyles, perspectives, and stories. Play Ode can be downloaded in the App Store and Google Play.
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Attachment
- Trust Marketing’s Executive Team
CONTACT: Adrienne King Trust Marketing (901)521-1300 aking@trustmkt.com
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